Beryl Bainbridge, one of the grandes dames of the UK's literary scene, died yesterday. Bainbridge was a prolific writer whose short, dark comic novels which invariably included a streak of tragedy - landed her five shortlistings for the Man Booker prize (and the label of perennial Booker bridesmaid), made her a two-time winner of the Whitbread award and saw her awarded a DBE in 2000.
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